Four England players on World Player shortlist

Last updated at 14:05 13 October 2005

Four England players have made it on to the shortlist for FIFA's world player of the year award.

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard, voted the most valuable player in Europe by UEFA in August, has the best chance of an English player winning the award after his role in leading the Reds to success in the Champions League.

England captain David Beckham, Manchester United's Wayne Rooney and Chelsea's Frank Lampard have also been nominated on the the preliminary list of 30 players drawn up by FIFA.

The shortlist is, as always, dominated by strikers and attacking midfielders with just one goalkeeper in the 30.

Real Madrid have six players on the shortlist, AC Milan five and Chelsea four - Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Lampard and Arjen Robben,

There are 10 players from the Barclays Premiership, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, Jay-Jay Okocha and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The coaches and captains of every national team will be sent the shortlist and asked to choose their top three players, and the one with the most votes will be announced at the FIFA gala in Zurich on December 19.

England also has one player on the women's shortlist, the Arsenal Ladies striker Kelly Smith.